Highlights from Friday August 4th Empowered #patientchat

On Friday, August 4th, 2017, we hosted an Empowered #patientchat where we discussed health records and taking charge of your care with special guest OpenNotes (@myopennotes). During the chat 58 people participated with over 1.4 million tweet impressions. The #patientchat tweeters shared that they want to know everything about their health information as it is their story and can be used as motivation. There are many benefits to reading your doctor’s notes such as ensuring correctness, sharing with your care partner, and understanding the next steps and instructions. These notes help patients build their health literacy and have the power to self-advocate. Notes can be used in between appointments to help coordinate care and prepare for upcoming appointments. Surprisingly we learned that several patients have found inaccuracies in their records. Lastly, patients should remember that their voice matters! It is ok to ask your doctor for their notes – you are the expert of your own health. Check out some of the highlights below.